It is a system that provides the OEM, service provider and user with various level of service all available from a single product. This will allow the handset manufacturer and the service provider to manage data content, network response times and capital network equipment roll out plans in the best way for their business while giving the use the accuracy they need.

The SiRF Mulitmode system has two components. Firstly the handset provided tailored tracking algorithms to allow the receiver to work in weak signal condition while avoiding the problems of cross correlation errors induced by usage in partially obscured, mixed signal strength, scenarios. The second element of a multimode enabled handset is the communications between the handset (MS) and the network. Combined they provide four operating modes.

Out of network coverage but need a location?. Multimode is the answer Multimode will work without data from network. Using it's Tailored tracking algorithms to acquire or track the signal where standard receivers could fail to lock.

Traveling outside your network and the local provider does not support location. Autonomous operation will allow the receiver to obtain a position and pass that data over the network. Even to your "home" network provider so they can assist you. After all it's normally when you travel far location is important. - This is not the case with all cellular location systems.

Network aided is the SiRF second generation plus location system. Compatible with all standards in development this will allow a network to speed up a response time or allow the handset to work in difficult conditions. While no manufacturer can make unqualified statements about operation in all building this mode allows a large degree of building penetration. The big benefit of the SiRF solution is that if the network is not capable of helping the handset the unit continues to try anyway via Autonomous or SA high sensitivity mode. With it's low bandwidth and infrastructure needs this is good for the service provider, for the user of turn by turn guidance systems it a fast and responsive solution that does not slow down when more users get on the system.

This mode is normally associated with a single fix of a location that needs to returned to the network. Here systems latency and response time from the server is not normally an issue as this is the reporting of a single event that is needed by the service operator. In the SiRF solution an approximate position is passed back from the handset with the network completing the location calculation and fine tuning the location data.